The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Tuesday a collaborative, multi-state investigation into an outbreak of rapidly growing salmonella infections.
Ongoing research has not yet identified a source of infections. To locate the source, health officials are interviewing sick people about foods they recently ate before the disease and any other exposures.
The outbreak was identified on July 10 with 13 sick people reported in three states. The illnesses began on dates ranging from June 19 to July 7. Over 10 days, the outbreak increased to 125 sick people in 15 states.
The CDC said 24 people have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported. Oregon has the highest number of illnesses reported in this outbreak so far at 42, with Utah behind at 28.
The CDC does not recommend that consumers avoid any particular food at this time, according to the research notice.
An analysis method called whole genome sequencing revealed that people in this outbreak are more likely to share a common source of infection, the agency said. Health officials identified a certain “serotype” or strain of salmonella, called salmonella newport, that causes significant illness, particularly in cattle and humans.
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Restaurants and retailers were not advised to avoid serving or selling particular food. The CDC said it will provide more information as it becomes available.
Most people infected with salmonella develop diarrhea, fever, and stomach cramps for up to six days after exposure. The disease usually resolves within a week, and most people recover without treatment, according to the CDC.
Salmonella diseases usually resolve within a week, and most people recover without treatment. However, some severe cases require hospitalization. (iStock)
However, a serious salmonella illness may require hospitalization. These infections are at risk of spreading from the intestines to the bloodstream and then to other parts of the body.
Both extremes of age and those with weakened immune systems are more likely to have serious illness.
If you have symptoms of a salmonella infection, the CDC advised talking to a health care provider, write down foods eaten during the week before you got sick, report the disease to the health department, and assist public health researchers by answering questions about the disease.
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To prevent a salmonella infection, the CDC recommends washing your hands frequently and washing fruits and vegetables before eating, cutting, or peeling them.
Be sure to separate foods like fresh fruit, salads, and deli meats (or foods that won’t cook before eating) away from raw meat, poultry, and seafood. Always cook at a high enough temperature to kill germs and refrigerate perishable foods in two hours.
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